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KLRU broadcasts programming created by and about people from all cultures year-round, from public affairs to history to independent film to kids programming. In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, KLRU is broadcasting a lineup of special programs exploring the culture of the gay, lesbian, and transgender community.

Independent Lens “The New Black”Monday, June 1 at 9 pm
Centering on the historic fight to win marriage equality in Maryland, this film takes viewers into the pews, onto the streets and provides a seat at the kitchen table as it looks at how the African American community grapples with the divisive gay rights issue.

Independent Lens “God Loves Uganda”Monday, June 8 at 9 pm
This film explores the role of the American Evangelical movement in fueling Uganda’s terrifying turn towards the proposed death penalty for homosexuality.

Arts in Context “In Face”
Thursday, June 11 at 7:30 pm
Behind the makeup and false eyelashes of drag queens are the eccentric lives of brilliant performers. In Face follows the complex lives of three performance artists in three cities: Austin, Los Angeles, Atlanta. Each queen, with a unique life offstage, sheds a bit of light on the hectic and determined lifestyle of pursuing a drag career. With daring costumes and lavish handmade hair pieces, Gia Sunflowers always surprises the crowd with his gothic style as waiter and performer of the drag queen dining establishment LIPS Atlanta. Obtaining success in Hollywood as contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, television star Willam Belli tours the country as a performer while also gaining a career as a recording artist.

Independent Lens “Limited Partnership”
Monday, June 15 at 9 pm
In 1975, decades before The Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, Filipino American Richard Adams and Australian Tony Sullivan became one of the first same-sex couples in the world to be legally married. Mere months later, however, the Immigration and Naturalization Service declared their marriage invalid and began proceedings to deport Tony. With a uniquely personal perspective in a larger political battle, “Limited Partnership” follows the couple’s forty-year fight seeking equal treatment for a same-sex marriage, all while living undocumented in the United States.

POV “Out in the Night”
Monday, June 22 at 9 pm
In 2006, under the neon lights of a gay-friendly neighborhood in New York City, a group of African American lesbians were violently threatened by a man on the street. The women fought back and were later charged with gang assault and attempted murder. The tabloids quickly dubbed them a gang of “Killer Lesbians” and a “Wolf Pack.” Three pleaded guilty to avoid a trial, but the remaining four — Renata, Patreese, Venice and Terrain — maintained their innocence. This film examines the sensational case and the women’s uphill battle, revealing the role that race, gender identity and sexuality play in our criminal justice system.

Arts in Context “Somos Krudas”
Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, June 28 at 1 pm
Having survived under a totalitarian regime, Cuban hip-hop duo Krudas Cubensi refuses to compromise. Lyrically, nothing is off limits as they spit fiery lines about politics and sexuality with a frankness and openness that is seldom seen. With a persistent Afro-Cuban rhythm, Odaymara Cuesta and Olivia Prendes use their art as a weapon “to fight against oppression, for justice, for balance, for our rights, to celebrate the life.” Now based out of Austin, Texas, Krudas Cubensi continues their fight for social justice through their incendiary, original hip-hop.

Frontline “Growing Up Trans”
Tuesday, June 30, at 9 pm
Explore the struggles and choices facing transgender kids and their parents. Through moving, personal stories of children, parents and doctors, the film examines new medical interventions increasingly being offered at younger ages.

Join us for a screening ofAustin Revealed: Pioneers from the East

Join KLRU and the Asian American Resource Center as we premiere the latest videos from our ongoing Austin Revealed series. The new videos explore the first Chinese families to settle in Austin. Produced in partnership with the Austin History Center, these videos tell the stories of four generations of prominent Chinese American families still living in Central Texas through first person interviews and archival material.

Wednesday, May 27th
Doors 6:30pm | Screening & discussion 7-8pm

Asian American Resource Center
8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, TX 78754

Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in Texas and nationwide, outpacing Hispanics. While most of this growth is due to recent immigration, the first wave of Asianmigration goes back to the mid 1800’s, when Chinese workers were brought in to work in gold mines and on the railroad. Some of these workers settled in Texas, but in a state that is fanatic about preserving and celebrating its history, very little is known about these pioneering AsianAmericans.

Austin Revealed is an ongoing video project that highlights stories of Austin’s past and present to encourage discussion and thought around the city’s future.

This week’s Art In Context Shorts focuses on a group exploring the limits of film. Experimental Response Cinema showcases those films that explore the untapped possibilities of cinema. By unearthing experimental films hidden in archives and publicizing new experimental works, the local organization offers viewers the chance to marvel together as images merge, pop, and glide across the silver screen. Highlighting the works of filmmakers like Roger Beebe, whose films combine multiple projectors and innovative cinematography, Experimental Response Cinema is an invaluable contributor and cultivator of Austin’s robust film scene. Creating installations that are half film and half art to audiences eager to experience a unique and imaginative side of cinema.

Today, KLRU announced the local winners of the 2015 PBS KIDS Writers Contest. The first place winners in grades K-3 will advance to the national level of the contest. Over 190 creative entries were received from local children and 13 winners were chosen for first place, second place, and third place recognitions:

“At KLRU we were truly inspired by the enthusiasm and talent that this year’s contest entries demonstrated,” said Ben Kramer, Director of KLRU’s Educational Services Department. “Each year KLRU is a proud participant in PBS KIDS’ annual Writers Contest as it advances KLRU’s commitment to helping grow children’s literacy skills while encouraging expression and imagination. KLRU celebrates the talented children of our community and we wish the winners advancing to the national contest the best of luck.”

The annual PBS KIDS Writers Contest is a national initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The contest encourages children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity by submitting their own original stories and illustrations.

KLRU’s first place winners will advance to the national contest and a panel of some of America’s foremost children’s authors, illustrators and media creators will serve as honorary judges and rank the top 12 finalists. National winners will be announced this summer and the winning stories will be featured on pbskids.org/writerscontest.

The national winners will receive prize packages including a library of ARTHUR® books by best-selling children’s author, Marc Brown, courtesy of national prizing sponsor, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and a personal technology device courtesy of PBS. The PBS KIDS Writers Contest is produced by PBS and based on the Reading Rainbow® Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, a concept developed by WNED-TV, Buffalo.

Join KLRU and the Austin Public Library for a screening and discussion of Limited Partnership on Tuesday, May 5th, at Windsor Park Branch Library (5833 Westminster Dr. Austin, TX 78723). The free event is open to the public and takes place from 7 pm to 9 pm

May 5: Limited Partnership
Decades before The Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, one gay couple, a Filipino American and an Australian, fell in love and over the course of 40 years took on the U.S. government to fight for marriage and immigration equality.

Cokie Roberts is a best-selling author, a contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, and a Political Commentator for ABC News. Cokie co-anchored ABC’s This Week with Sam Donaldson from 1996-2002. She’s won numerous awards, including three Emmys, and was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. Her new book, Capital Dames: The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868, was published in April. She’s in Austin to speak and sign copies at BookPeople at 7pm.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues a fifth season of interviews featuring engaging conversations with fascinating people. The show airs on PBS stations nationally and presents a wide range of thoughtmakers and tastemakers from the fields of politics, journalism, business, arts, sports and more. Please join us and be part of the studio audience at this taping with Cokie Roberts. And don’t forget you can watch past episodes anytime at klru.org/overheard.

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with former Congressman Barney Frank on April 8 at 5:15pm in KLRU’s Studio 6A (map). Doors open at 4:45pm. The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP NOW

Copyright: Michael Halsband

Former Congressman Barney Frank represented the Fourth District of Massachusetts for more than three decades. Frank is known as one of the most prominent gay politicians in American history and was the first sitting member of Congress to enter a same-sex marriage. In 2010 he co-authored Dodd-Frank, the most far-reaching Wall Street reform bill since the Great Depression. His memoir Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriagewas recently published. Congressman Frank is in Austin to speak and sign copies at BookPeople immediately following our taping.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a fifth season of interviews featuring engaging conversations with fascinating people. The show airs on PBS stations nationally and presents a wide range of thoughtmakers and tastemakers from the fields of politics, journalism, business, arts, sports and more. Please join us and be part of the studio audience at this taping with Barney Frank. And don’t forget you can watch past episodes anytime at klru.org/overheard.

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Senator Bernie Sanders on April 2 at 8:45am in KLRU’s Studio 6A (map). Doors open at 8:15am. The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP NOW

Senator Bernie Sanders is the junior senator from Vermont. He was re-elected to his second term in 2012. Sanders is the longest-serving Congressional Independent in US history. Before joining the Senate he served 16 years in the House representing Vermont’s at-large district. Senator Sanders identifies himself as a Democratic Socialist and is a champion of progressive causes. In 2014 he told The Nation he’s “prepared to run” for president in 2016.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith begins a fifth season of interviews featuring engaging conversations with fascinating people. The show airs on PBS stations nationally and presents a wide range of thoughtmakers and tastemakers from the fields of politics, journalism, business, arts, sports and more. Please join us and be part of the studio audience at this taping with Senator Bernie Sanders. And don’t forget you can watch past episodes anytime at klru.org/overheard.

This Overheard taping is co-presented with The Texas Tribune and will be livestreamed as part of its Conversation Series. Tune in to watch or find more event information at texastribune.org/events.

KLRU shares the inspiring stories of the people that are making our community a success! As part of our American Graduate initiative, we’re honoring American Graduate Champions that have been submitted by the community.

Today’s Champion is Joshua Moreno, a teacher and coach at Paredes Middle School. In this video, Christian Palacios, a student at McCallum High School, talks about why Moreno is his champion.

Do you know someone in our community who is working to improve high school success for students throughout Central Texas? Recognize them as an American Graduate Champion! American Graduate Champions can be students who work as mentors, business leaders who serve as role models, school officials making changes to better the system, parent activists, and even struggling students who are overcoming obstacles in order to graduate.

Please join KLRU’s Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Salman Khan on March 12 at 10 am in KLRU’s Studio 6A (map). Doors open at 9:30am. This event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP NOW

Salman Khan is the founder of Khan Academy, a non-profit providing online instruction to people all over the world. Sal founded Khan Academy in 2008. He began by tutoring his cousins remotely by video. The videos attracted a large YouTube following. Today, Khan Academy is an online learning platform which includes practice exercises, instructional videos, analytics and teacher tools. It has over 15 million registered users in over 190 countries and is available in around 28 languages. Sal Khan is the closing speaker at SXSWedu 2015.

We hope you’ll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues a fifth season of interviews featuring engaging conversations with fascinating people. The show airs on PBS stations nationally and presents a wide range of thoughtmakers and tastemakers from the fields of politics, journalism, business, arts, sports and more. Please join us and be part of the studio audience at this taping with Salman Khan. And don’t forget you can watch past episodes anytime at klru.org/overheard.